Bottle dispensing refrigerator



,1946. F.'U. PAYNE 2,408,444

B OTTLE DISPENSING REFRIGERATOR Filed July 10, 1943 2 Shees-Sheet 1 l 04WW I 52 v 9 v INVENTORI ATTORNEY.

'BY I Oct. 1,.1946. u. PAYNE v 2,408,444.

BOTTLE DI SPENS ING REFRIGERATOR Filed July 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2/%y)7 IIIVT/ENTOR.

AITUR N EYE Patented Oct. 1, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 42,408,444 I eor'rmi DrsPENsmG REFRIGERATOR Frank U. Payne, Farrier,-Tenn, I Application July 10, 1943, Serial No. 494,230

My invention relates to the coolin and dispensing' of packaged goods-such as bottled beverages, and has among its objects and advantages theprovision of an improved coin controlled dispensing refrigerator.

An object of my invention is to provide a refr-igerator' of the typedescribed wherein bottles are arranged radially of arotative wheel whichis actuated through the medium of a coin'coiitrol, wherein the wheelstructure is such as to accom modate a relatively large number ofbottles to the end that a refrigerator structure of relatively smallover-all dimensions may be loaded with a large quantity of bottledstock,

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a-fragrnentarv and sectional top planview of the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational View partly in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional view alongthe line 3'3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is. a perspective view of a latch meniber. 1

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, I makeuseof a cabinet! pro vided :with .a conventional cooling apparatus I2 whichmay be operated through the medium of the usual power unit l4 locatedunderneath the bottom wall l6 of the cabinet. Inside the cabinet Ii] ismounted a plurality of bottle dispensing units I8. These units are inthe nature of coaxial wheel structures but arranged for independentoperation. All the units l8 are identical in construction and rotatablymounted on a common supporting, shaft. of one will apply toall.

A horizontal shaft 21! is supported inside the cabinet by two U-s'hapedbearings 22, which bearings open upwardly so that the shaft may bedropped into position. The wheel unit It comprises two parallel sidewalls 24 and a dividing wall Ziilocated between and parallel to the sidewalls 24. All the walls 24 and 26 are fixedly connected at theirperirrieters by a peripheral wall 28.

Both side walls 24 are fixedly connected with a hub 30 rotatably mountedon the shaft 20. This hub comprises a tube 32 arranged concen tricallyof the shaft and welded to plates 34 inserted in the ends of the tube.These plates are welded to the side plates 24 and are pro-- vided withopenings 36 loosely receiving the shaft 20. The dividing wall 26 isprovided with a cer'i tral opening 38 to receive" the tube 32.

A wa1l'40 is arranged concentrically of the axis of the wheel unit' 4 8'and is of smaller diameter Accordingly the description 5 Claims. (Cl.312-4371) than the peripheralwall 2s.- The Wall 40 is seesections of thewall 49 are subdivided transversely to accommodate the walls 42. Allthese wall arts may be Welded into a unitary structure, 7

Two rows of bottle receiving openings 44 are provided in the peripheralwall 28, .the openings in the respective rows being spaced one from theother circumferentially of the peripheral wall. Similar openings46areprovided in the Wall 40 and are arranged coaxially withthe openings 44.Figures 2 and 3 illustrate. the openings 46 as being of smaller diameterthan the openings 44, the latter being of such size as to freely receivethe body portions'of bottles inserted neck first into the wheel unit.The neck formations of the bottles pass through the openings 46, withthe exception of the larger diameter part of the necks, so that thebottles may be stacked radially in the wheel unit 18 and individually inthe bottle compartrnents 48 defined by the walls 24 and 25 and theradial walls 42 and the circular walls 28 and 40.

Figure 1 illustrates the relative positions of the openings 44 on"opposite sides of the dividing wall 26. The openings in each row areequally spaced one from the other and are offset from the openings inthe other row distances equaling half of the distances between theopenings in either row, The bottles 50 are loaded in the wheel structurel8 through the top of the cabinet [0, the latter being provided with ahinged cover top 52 which may be locked through the medium of anyconventional lock means as indicated generally at 54 in Figure 2.

Since the bottles 50*aie dispensed from the wheel i 8 through rotationof the wheel about a horizontal axis, means is provided for holding thebottles in the wheel unit as the bottles enter the lower peripheral zoneof the wheel unit. This means comprises a plate or track 54 arrangedconcentrically of the wheel unit [8 throughout approximately degrees ofits peripheral extent, but spaced slightly therefrom. Figure 3illustrates the manner in which the bottles 50 ride on the track 54 soas to be restrained from dropping from the wheel unit 18, and to remainin their respective chambers 48. Thus the bottles 59 are maintained in apredetermined order in the Wheel unit [9, and all the bottles in'thewheel unit are spaced equal distances apart circumferentially of thewheel unit, which spacing embraces both rows of bottles. A dispensingchute 56 is provided for receiving one bottle at a time from the wheelunit [8, as that bottle is brought into such axial alignment with thechute as to permit the bottle to drop therein. A hinge door 58 normallycloses the discharging end of the chute 56, and a bottle dropping downthe chute 26 falls into a trough 66, from which the bottle may be easilyremoved. The chute 56 is of such limited size and arrangement as topreclude unauthorized tampering with the wheel unit 18.

Means for imparting step by step rotation to the wheel unit 18 forbringing one bottle at a time into discharging alignment with the chute56 comprises an actuating mechanism 62 which may be set in motionthrough the medium of a coin controlled slide 6 The specific coincontrol forms no part of the present invention since any coin controlleddevice employing a coin slide having the necessary free sliding movementis satisfactory. A rod 66 is pivotally connected at one end with theslide 64 and at its other end with one end of a lever 68. This lever ispivotally connected at 79 intermediate its ends with a post 12 mountedon a shelf M attached to the rear wall of the cabinet 15. An arm 16 ispivotally connected at 78 with one end of the lever 68 and includes ahook 89"at its free end selectively receivable in notches 82 in a flange84 attached to p the wheel unit I8 and lying in the plane of thedividing wall 26. The notches 82 are so spaced as to comprise the samenumber as the chambers 48, namely the number of bottles which may beloaded in the wheel unit I8. Bottles are dispensed from the wheel unitthrough counterclockwise rotation of the unit when viewing Figure 3.Such counterclockwise rotation is imparted to the wheel unit throughadvancement of the arm 16 to the dotted line position of Figure 3 andthen moving the arm in a reverse direction topermit the hook 66 to dropinto the notch next adjacent the notch previously occupied by the hook.This hook is of rounded contour at the end of the arm F6 as to cameasily from the slot occupied by the hook when the arm is in full lineposition of Figure 3.

Since the bottles drop from the wheel unit l8 through counterclockwiserotation of the latter, the left hand side of the wheel unit when viewedaccording to Figure 3 is generally the heavy side. Accidental clockwiserotation of the wheel unit is prevented by reason of a spring arm 86attached to a support 88 and arranged to fall into the notches 82.

A wheel positioning spring arm 90 has one end attached to the support 88and its other end provided with spaced fingers 92 arranged to fall intoa notch 82 as the wheel unit I8 is rotated to a new bottle dispensingposition. Normally the fingers 92 are pressed into one of the notches82, which prevents the wheel unit l8 from rotation in a counterclockwisedirection.

While the fingers 92 normally latch the wheel unit 18 against rotation,movement of-the arm 76 to the dotted line position of Figure 3 causesthe hook 89 to pass between the fingers 92 and engage the cam end 94 onthe free end of the spring arm 96 and lift the fingers 92 clear of theflange 84.

, Since the arm 86 latches the wheel unit l8 against clockwise rotationonly, means are desirable for restraining the wheel unit from accidentalcounterclockwise rotation during the short period when the fingers 92are lifted clear of the flange 84. This means comprises a latch bar 96having one end pivotally connected with the connection 18 and normallyresting on a flange 98 on the shelf 14. When the arm 16 is shifted toits dotted line position of Figure 3, the latch bar 96 moves to thedotted line position of this figure and its end drops into one of thenotches 82 to restrain the wheel unit from accidental counterclockwiserotation. Thus, during a period of the dispensing operation, both thehook 80 and the free end of the latch bar 96 lie in notches 82. Sincethe latch bar 96 moves simultaneously with the arm 16, the latch barpermits unobstructed counterclockwise rotation of the wheel unit l3 asthe arm 16 is pulled back to its full line position of Figure 3. Aslight return movement of the arm 76 permits the fingers 92 to fall intothe next notch in the flange 84 to positively latch the wheel unit [8against accidental rotation.

A coin box I is mounted inside the cabinet I!) underneath the coin slidestructure I02. The coin slide structure is so arranged that it isnecessary to advance the coin slide 64 its full distance, as shown indotted lines in Figure 3, to deposit the coin in the box I00 and tobring the actuating mechanism 62 to the dotted line position of Figure3. When in this position, the mechanism is returned to its normalposition by exerting a pull on the coin slide 64. Since the wheel unit[8 is loaded from a position above the wheel unit, a flexible gate WireI04 is slidably mounted in guides I06 attached to the front wall of thecabinet l0 and to the chute structure 56 to be pushed across thedischarging chute 56 and prevent bottles from falling into the chute asthe wheel unit is rotated during the filling operation. After fillingthe wheel unit, one bottle only will drop therefrom when the gate wireI04 is pulled back to its normal full line position of Figure 3.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain myinvention, that others vmay, by applying current knowledge, readilyadapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. In a bottle dispensing refrigerator, the combination of arefrigerated chamber having an outlet, a bottle dispensing wheel mountedfor rotation about a horizontal axis inside said chamber, said wheelbeing provided with a hub, and circular side walls on the hub, acircular dividing wall, and a peripheral wall about the aforementionedwalls, and a wall concentrically arranged between the hub and theperipheral wall, said latter wall and the peripheral wall havingopenings therein, the openings of the latter wall being smaller thanthose of the peripheral wall, and staggered radial walls dividing thespaces between the aforementioned walls into compartments for looselysupporting bottles arranged endwise with respect to the axis of thewheel and equally spaced one from the other circumferentially of thewheel, said outlet being located at a low point with respect to saidwheel, a bottle track about the lower circumferential extent of thewheel to hold the bottles in the wheel but terminating at said outlet tocause bottles to drop into the outlet as they are moved beyond thetrack, a notched flange on the wheel and means engaging the 75 notchesof the flange for rotating the wheel step by step to bring one bottle ata time to a position beyond said track, I

2. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said notches in the flangeare equal in number to the bottle supporting compartments, meanssuccessively receivable in said notches to restrain the wheel fromaccidental rotation, means for releasing'the Wheel from said restrainingmeans and means successively receivable in said notches for impartingrotation to the wheel.

3. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said notches in the flangeare. equal in number to the bottle supporting compartments, meanssuccessively receivable in said notches to restrain the wheel fromaccidental rotation, means for releasing the wheel from said restrainingmeans and-means selectively receivable in said notches for impartingrotation to the wheel, said last mentioned means including a coin slide,a hook successively receivable in said notches and an operatingconnection between the hook and said coin slide.

4. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said notches in the flangeare equal in number to said compartments, a first spring armsuccessively receivable in said notches to restrain the 7 wheel fromrotation in onedirection, a second spring arm having fingerssuccessively receivable in said notches to restrain the wheel fromrotation in either direction, a hook successively receivable in saidnotches and shaped for engagement with said second spring arm to liftsaid latch.

6 fingers clear of their receiving notch, a wheel latch for successivereception in said notches to restrain the wheel from rotation in asecond direction reversely of the holding action of said first springarm, a pivoted lever having a common pivotal connection with said hookand said wheel latch to advance the hook one notch at a time and tobring said Wheel latch into one of said notches, and a coin slide meansoperatively connected withsaid lever to impart pivotal movement theretoto actuate the hook and said wheel 5. In a dispensing refrigerator, thecombination of a refrigerated chamber having an outlet, a bottledispensing wheel mounted for rotation in said chamber, means formounting bottles in said wheel with their bottoms toward the peripheryand the necks toward the center of the wheel, a notched flange on thewheel, there being the same number of notches as the bottle holdingcapacity of the wheel, means successively engaging in said notches forimparting step-by-step rotation of the Wheel, a spring arm engaging thenotches to prevent accidental rotation of the Wheel, in a clockwisedirection, a second spring arm engaging the notches to preventaccidental rotation of the wheel in a counterclockwise direction, and areleasable latch bar for engaging in the notches to restrain rotation ofthe wheel in either direction, and means for releasing the latch bar.

FRANK U. PAYNE.

